Hubbard Montgomery "Hub" Smith

1935 - 2014

AMHERST - Hubbard Montgomery Smith, 78, of Stony Hill, Amherst, died Thursday, May 8, 2014, at his home.

Born Nov. 21, 1935, in Mt. Vernon, N.Y., Hub was the son of the late Florence Montgomery Smith and Clarence Harry Smith. He graduated from Pelham Memorial High School in New York in 1953 and was an alumnus of Amherst College class of 1957.

After serving in the U.S. Army, Hub began a 27 year career at Time, Inc., in New York, starting in the mail room and continuing through increasingly responsible positions at Life, Sports Illustrated, and Time Magazines. From 1969 to 1971 he managed the Time Life production office in Paris, France, then returned to the New York office to serve as the director of production for Time Magazine worldwide from 1971 to 1984.

In 1985, the Smiths relocated to Amherst when Hub took a position in the Alumni/Development office at Amherst College, where his responsibilities included a stint as alumni director. He retired from the college in 1995.

Hub is survived by his wife of 49 years, Linda Fisher Smith; his daughter Alison Smith Mitchell (Sidney Mitchell) of Orono, Maine; and his son Stephen Montgomery Smith (Lynn Connors Smith) of Pannal, England; and his four (perfect) grandchildren, Matthew and Claire Williamson and Meghan and Sarah Smith. Hub's other family members include his sister Susan Smith Parkhurst of Denver, Colo.; sister-in-law Carole Finn Fisher of Canton, Conn.; cousin Marjorie Ensign Laxier of San Jose, Calif.; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

His place to connect with family was the much loved summer place on Canada Lake in the Adirondacks of New York.

A committed community volunteer, Hub has served on the boards and as an officer of many organizations, including the Board of Education in Pleasantville, N.Y., the Scarborough Presbyterian Church, Briarcliff Manor, N.Y.; and locally on the boards of the Literacy Project, the Echo Hill South Association, the Amherst Club and Highland Valley Elder Services Money Management Program.

At the time of his death he was president of his college class. Hub was an active member of First Congregational Church UCC in Amherst, serving as moderator several times, assistant treasurer and on several boards. Many people drew inspiration from Hub's courage and commitment to his recovery after a major health incident in 2003 that left him paraplegic and with other medical complications. His perseverance and positive spirit have inspired many and delighted his family.

Hub will be remembered for his honesty, thoughtful intelligence and written word, innate sense of fairness, his fierce sense of justice and perhaps most of all, his keen and quick sense of humor. As his friends will attest he had a way of making everyone feel as if they were his oldest friends, no matter the length of the acquaintance.

A memorial service is planned Saturday, June 7, at 2 p.m. at First Congregational Church in Amherst.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be directed to the charity of one's choice or to any of Hub's favorite organizations, The Literacy Project, First Congregational Church Project 275, or the VNA Hospice of Hampshire County. He will be missed.

Obituary and memorial register at www.douglassfuneral.com.

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